[acejavelin]

Got home from work after being gone for 4 days to this dent in my trunk lid, right on the edge above the Chevy emblem... Looks like someone hit it with their fist or something soft since the paint isn't even scuffed.

My comp deductible is $500, so I'm wondering if a PDR shop can repair stuff like this significantly less than that? I'm not concerned with it perfect, but it looks pretty bad.

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[NickD]

Paintless Dent Repair? Guys I met that claim they can do this tell me can only do this if they can access that dent from rear.

Hear I though you were some kind of miracle worker, because if I can access them from the rear, can pop them out myself.

Have a trunk liner that has to be removed first, do recall some open spots to access the outside skin, but don't recall if there is an opening at that spot. But depending on your skill, may want to pop it out yourself. But these guys do this all the time and should have the skill.

Will never use valet parking again. But can also ask why they make these things so delicate. So far, very lucky with my Cruze, someone ran a shopping cart into my rear bumper. Over several days, built up that scratch with touch of paint, let it sit for a couple weeks to get good and dry, used wet 1000 grit sandpaper to get it flat then used a powered buffer so you can't see it anymore.

 

[obermd]

On the edge like yours is makes it a challenge. You'd have to actually check with the shop - some can and some can't fix that.

 

[Robby]

Highly unlikely......that one needs a new decklid.

The damage is at a crease.....PDR success is for flat areas.

Rob

 

[203-CRUZER]

If there's a access point from the inside (or access point of any panel for that matter)...AND if the PDR guy, is skilled enough, the answer is YES!! I work as a auto body technician and our PDR guy is amazing! Alternatively, you can send it to the body shop - it wouldn't break your wallet. That isn't big work at all!! Good luck, with whichever route, you choose to go with!

 

[Kelpie]

Don't know about the PDR, but I used to work at a body shop and the truck lid on your car can be straightened. Probably around 400 -500 bucks depending on where you live. Body work is expensive nowdays.

 

[acejavelin]

Guess I'll have to get some estimates... Sucks being gone Monday through Thursday for work, will see what I can find out next Friday I guess.

Thanks for the information

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[NickD]

Really don't know until you try, if the sheet metal is stretched only was to shrink it is with a torch, and depends how fussy you are. Stepson, stuck in Venezuela was rear ended, and not quite like here, no law to file a claim, couldn't even close the trunk.

All I had to work with was a rusty pair of vice-grips and my bare hands, but actually didn't look that bad when I was done, but could close and lock the trunk. Was on a 97 Corolla.

Son here hit a deer on his 2000 Taurus, just married with a kid, no comprehensive on it, left fender was rubbing on the wheel, couldn't close the hood, didn't care about the minor wrinkles, but yet another hand job to straighten it out so the hood can be closed and the tire was no longer rubbing on the fender, did cost him 28 bucks for a new head lamp assembly.

Given a few more hours could have worked out those minor wrinkles, but was very driveable, that's all he cared about. Ha, like working on aluminum foil. Not the case like with a 37 Olds using 16 gauge nickel sheet metal, but back then could go to a wrecking yard and pick up a nice rust free fender for about a buck and was a bolt on. And those bolts did not break when trying to remove them.

Then someone backed into my daughter 98 ZX2 smashing that plastic bumper and the right parking light. Removed the bumper and backed it with sheets of aluminum, filled the cracks with that bumper repair stuff, quick sanding and just used solvent spray cans, looked like new again. Water based paints are a new problem.

Cruze was practically brand new when my wife was driving it while on her job with the hospital and a deer ran into the right front fender. Didn't fool with this, have 100 buck comprehensive, Chevy bodyshop is ran by a good old friend, 97 bucks for a new fender, but made darn sure it was properly undercoated and a brand new water based paint booth. Did a perfect job, but the bill was 1,100 bucks, comprehensive took care of that and her hospital picked up the other hundred bucks. Ha, they left off a couple of the push pin plastic rivets, went back and got those.

What I can't deal with is road salt, while I have the tools and a spot welder, nothing left to weld to, off to the wrecking yard they go, kind of sag in the middle. Not a fan of unibodies, and if crushed, the entire unibody is a throwaway part.

They don't make em, like they use to. My guess is it would cost at least 1,100 bucks to replace that trunk lid, its the labor for painting it that runs up the bill and can only be done by a shop with a proper water based paint booth.

Water based paint is a new problem, blame the EPA for this.

 

[lsone]

Yes it can be fixed by a PDR guy that isn't setup in a parking lot. Id say a couple hundred dollars.

 

[NickD]

Ha, this guy wants 400 bucks for a like new silver trunk lid with local pickup. Unpainted new ones run around 200 bucks.

2011 2012 2013 2014 Chevy Cruze Silver Trunk Lid 95213160 | eBay

Seeing a lot of new stuff in the wrecking yards, have to wheel and deal with them. Thanks to crushable unibodies, ain't worth fixing, car shown more that likely rear ended a Sherman tank or maybe even a kid riding a tricycle.

Looks like that plastic chrome strip on Aces Cruze is also banged up, holds the trunk release switch and license plate lamps.

We can only guess. Know that my comprehension wouldn't cover this, unless I could provide a photo of a bear or a deer doing this damage. Otherwise would be collision that would count against you.

Way too many idiots driving 23 foot long pickup trucks trying to park them in a compact sized parking lot. Tend to bang up your vehicle a bit and don't even leave a note, collision has to cover stuff like this.

Use to be a time when no such thing as a deductible home or auto insurance policy. Another creation so these guys can make more money and have an ad on TV every two seconds.